Stabilizers



Feb. 25, 1964 J. c. KLINE 3,121,833

smsmzsas Filed Oct. 29. 1962 INVENTOR J /V C. KL/NE fizz;

1/: ATm/eA/EY v United States Patent York Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,710 7 Claims. (Cl. -261) This invention relates to stabilizers in general and more particularly to edge support devices for inner spring units.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved edge supporting device for the inner spring unit of a mattress which is characterized by a round or fiat stock wire intertwined into a figure eight and the ends secured to one another to form an endless figure eight unit.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an edge supporting device for the inner spring unit of a mattress composed of a single strand of wire which is formed into a figure eight with the ends of the wire twisted together form an endless unit and the intermediate intertwining extension composed of two twisted adjacent portions of the wire free to form an intervening eight shaped figure when the support is compressed.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an edge supporting device for the inner spring unit of a mattress composed of two strands of wire which are formed into two S-shaped units with the intervening strand portions intertwined and the ends at the top and bottom of the device twisted to form an endless eight figure when uncompressed in normal position and to form a second eight shaped portion by means of the intervening strand portions when the support is compressed.

These and other features, capabilities, and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmented perspective with the sides or edges of the spring unit of a mattress or the like opened to expose edge supporting devices in assembled position made according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmental front elevation of one of the edge supporting devices shown in FIG. 1 assembled.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmental front elevation of a second form of an edge supporting device made according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmental front elevation of a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 are sections of wire of different cross section on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental detail showing a third form of connection of the ends of the wire or wires of an edge support made according to the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the edge support 1 is composed of single wire of any one of the cross sections shown in FIG. 5. The wire is formed into an eight shape having an upper elliptical portion 2 and a lower elliptical portion 3 with one end of the wire knotted at 4 adjacent the other end of the wire and the other end of the wire knotted at 5 adjacent to the end of the wire having the knot 4. The portion 3 has two outwardly extending arc portions 6 and 7 and the portion 2 has two similar outwardly extending arc portions 8 and 9. The intermediate portions 10 and 11 of the wire are twisted around one another to form an X-shape as shown in FIG. 2 so that the portion adjacent the are 7 of the lower portion 3 extends over the wire portion 11 adjacent the arc portion 9 and the portion of the wire 12 of the upper are 8 is disposed over the portion 13 adjacent the lower arc portion 6. The up er portions of the wire 14 constitute one abutment to be secured to the upper border wire 15 of the inner spring unit by the spiral Wire 16 and 3,121,883 Patented-Feb. 25, 1964 the portion 17 of the wire adjacent the lower border wire 18 constitutes an abutment which is connected to the lower border wire 18 by the spiral spring '19.

When a person rests on the inner spring unit or exercises pressure adjacent the border of the same, the unit -1 will compress so that the portions 10 and 11 will separate from one another and the portions L2. and 13 will separate from one another to form a second eight shape which in turn will disappear when the tension is removed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 departs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 primarily in that the ends of the wire are twisted forming the two twists 20 and 21.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 departs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 primarily in that instead of one wire, this embodiment consists of two wires 22 and 23, the two wires being formed into S-shapes with the upper ends connected together in the twists 224 and 2-5 and the lower end connected together in the twists 26 and 27. The intervening portion 28 is similar to the intervening portion of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 is a fragmenta-l side elevation showing another form of connecting the ends 29 and 30 of adjacent end portions of the wire by welding, see the welding deposits 31 and 3:2.

The embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 very definitely overcome any bulging laterally of the intermediate portion due to the fact that the twist in the middle in the intervening portions 10 and 11 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 as an instance exercise opposite forces upon the units due to the twists which are supplemented in the embodiment of FIG. 3 by the fact that the twists 20 and 2'1 exercise counteracting forces upon the unit and are supplemented in the embodiment of FIG. 4 in that the twists 24 and 25 at the upper end of the unit and the twists 26 and 27 at the lower end of the unit similarly exercise counteracting forces upon the unit to prohibit the bulging of the uni-t in a lateral direction under compression.

-It has been found that although the intermediate portions 10 and 11 of the wire in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 assume a twist opposite to that of the intermediate portions of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the counteracting forces aforesaid are nevertheless produced.

In turn it instead of round wire, a wire that in cross section approaches an ellipse, a rectangle, or a diamond shape, having a greater diameter in one direction than in the other, if the wire throughout its length has its longer axis perpendicular to the unit, that is to the side of the unit, then this cross sectional shape of the wire will also supplement the twists aforesaid to prohibit bulging of the unit. 1

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made without deparing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an end support for the inner spring unit of a mattress, the combination of an endless flexible bent strip comprising two adjacent elliptical portions resembling an eight shape, said strip having parts extending from each elliptical portion into the other elliptical portion, and crossing one another to form a single twist, the ends of the strip being connected to one another to form an endless construction.

.2. The combination as set forth in claim *1 characterized by the strip being composed of round Wire.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized by the strip being composed of substantially fiat wire having a greater diameter in one direction than in the other, with the greater diameter throughout the length of the wire extending substantially perpendicular to the support or side of the support.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized by the strip being composed of one length of wire with the location of said ends residing in the outer side of one elliptical portion.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized by the strip being composed of two S-shaped lengths of wire interconnected with one another and the location of said ends residing in the outer sides of said two elliptical portions.

6. In an edge support for the inner spring unit of a mattress, the combination of an endless flexible bent wire comprising two adjacent elliptical portions resembling an eight shape, said wire having parts extending from each elliptical portion into the other elliptical portion and crossing one another to form a single twist, the part of the wire being twisted to form said twist extending in opposite directions to one another to cooperate with said single twist to exercise counteracting forces on the support to prohibit bulging of the support under compression.

7. The combination with a mattress inner spring unit References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,932,832 Levine Apr. 19, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 327,401 Italy July 12, 1935 830,323 Great Britain Mar. 16, 1960 1,231.561 France Apr. 11. 1960 

1. IN AN END SUPPORT FOR THE INNER SPRING UNIT OF A MATTRESS, THE COMBINATION OF AN ENDLESS FLEXIBLE BENT STRIP COMPRISING TWO ADJACENT ELLIPTICAL PORTIONS RESEMBLING AN EIGHT SHAPE, SAID STRIP HAVING PARTS EXTENDING FROM EACH ELLIPTICAL PORTION INTO THE OTHER ELLIPTICAL PORTION, AND CROSSING ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A SINGLE TWIST, THE ENDS OF THE STRIP BEING CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER TO FORM AN ENDLESS CONSTRUCTION. 